Which Dust collector?

[Jason Hallowell]

I have the Harbor Freight 2hp, and I think it's a good machine for the money. The stock filter bag is essentially useless, so you need to figure on buying a nice filter if you're not going to vent outside. I also have never heard of a motor failing, and know of many people who have had them for years. Many people have had issues with the switch failing, but thats an easy $5 fix.

[Jim Terrill]

I have the Harbor Freight 2hp, and I think it's a good machine for the money. The stock filter bag is essentially useless, so you need to figure on buying a nice filter if you're not going to vent outside. I also have never heard of a motor failing, and know of many people who have had them for years. Many people have had issues with the switch failing, but thats an easy $5 fix.

My HF is on a dedicated circuit with 3/4 way switches at specific spots around the shop, so if the switch on the unit itself dies, I'll just connect the wires directly, bypassing the switch on the unit, since it is always set to "on" anyways and its power is controlled from the switches. Something to consider when wiring a shop, I used 12/3 and it wasn't a big hassle to do, just make sure you get a good resource on how to wire 3 and 4 way switches and you don't have to mess with remotes and such. For all the bashing it gets, it does a pretty good job at pulling dust through 4" hard plumbed with drops to each machine and it will only be better once I add the stovepipe mod and a wynn filter.

[Tri Hoang]

1HP Jet is a little too small for most tasks. I had it before I knew a thing or two about DC. Sold it long ago. 650CFM is a marketing #. You are lucky to get 350CFM with the 4"x10ft hose with the jet.

[Stephen Edwards]

I'm another satisfied customer of the 2HP HF DC unit. I've been using it with the remote that I purchased with it for over two years now. Nary a problem.

[David Hostetler]

I'm kind of in the same spot with making a first DC purchase. Do I get the $139 Harbor Frieght DC. I often see Jet DC 1100's or older 1.5HP grizzly's going for around $200-250 on my local Craigs List. On rare occasion a Delta 50-850 has popped up but prices have generally run not much lower than buying new. A few days ago a delta 50-760 popped up for $225 but I missed out on it

To me the Grizzly, and Jet DCs, especially the older models, are simply not compelling enough to want to buy used. I wish I knew about the Delta 50-850, but I don't so I won't comment...

Kick yourself for missing the 50-760. Those are REALLY good dust collectors.

I would LOVE to grab one of those to replace my HF, and move the Wynn over to that. Heck I'd swap my Thien out to a 30 gallon can model so I can slip it all in on the cart... Probably end up selling the 55 gallon barrel version if I did that...

[Neil Brooks]

I think the HF is seriously overrated, and it's extremely annoying to have a cheap 120V only motor that pulls nearly 20A.

In the testing, it drew a maximum of 12.1A.

I've got the HF unit. I bought the Wynn 35A cartridge filter, and an X-10 style remote control, along with Woodcraft's plastic garbage-can-compatible cyclone chip separator.

For me, the whole setup just works ... and works ... and works, and works quite well

[John Denture]

In the testing, it drew a maximum of 12.1A.

Hmm, slightly less than the 1HP Marathon motor on my DC (which almost undoubtedly is a more efficient motor than the HF). Maybe pinstripes or flames would make it even faster :-)

I suppose what counts is that it works for you...

[Bill Blackburn]

In the testing, it drew a maximum of 12.1A.

I've got the HF unit. I bought the Wynn 35A cartridge filter, and an X-10 style remote control, along with Woodcraft's plastic garbage-can-compatible cyclone chip separator.

For me, the whole setup just works ... and works ... and works, and works quite well

Can't kill the lil' devils off very easy.

John - some say they draw 15-16 at startup.
My old Delta contractor saw with a 1.5 vintage Emerson IIRC drew 11.9 at start-up. Yet it happily sliced thru thousands of BF of 4/4 and 6/4 oak over the years too. For all I know it drew 11.9a under load too. lol
It did what it was supposed too - my previous experience with that HF was the same.

Whats works is what counts .... couldn't have said it better or truer